00:07The archaeological site of Chile, rooted in ancient times, is more than just a collection
00:13of old remains.
00:14It stands as a living witness to Morocco's history and the evolution of its civilization
00:19through the ages.
00:21Its classification as a historic landmark since 1920, along with its inclusion on the
00:27UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012, highlights its priceless global value.
00:32This place, surrounded by a marionid wall stretching for a kilometre, includes an old town and a
00:39marionid necropolis covering seven hectares.
00:48Rabat was founded in the 12th century by the Almohads.
00:52After a period of growth, the city fell into a period of decline.
00:57In the 17th century, Rabat became a haven for the Barbary Corsairs.
01:03When the French established a protectorate over Morocco in 1912, Rabat became its administrative
01:09centre.
01:10When Morocco achieved independence in 1956, Rabat became its capital.
01:16Rabat is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco, and its medina is listed as a World Heritage
01:22Site.
01:23It is accessible by train through the ONCF system, and by plane through the nearby Rabat-Salei
01:30Airport.
01:37Hassan Tower.
01:39Hassan Tower is the minaret of an incomplete mosque in Rabat, Morocco.
01:44It was commissioned by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, the third caliph of the Al-Nahad Caliphate,
01:51near the end of the 12th century.
01:52The tower was intended to be the largest minaret in the world, and the mosque, if completed, would
01:59have been the largest in the Western Muslim world.
02:02When al-Mansur died in 1199, construction on the mosque stopped.
02:08The minaret was left standing at a height of 44 metres.
02:12The rest of the mosque was also left incomplete, with only the beginnings of several walls and
02:17348 columns being constructed.
02:20The tower, along with the remains of the mosque and the modern mausoleum of Mahanid V, forms
02:27an important historical and tourist complex in Rabat.
02:44Castor of Udaya, in 1609, King Philip III of Spain decided by decree to expel nearly a million
02:53Muslim moriscos.
02:54Between 4,000 and 6,000 of the exiles settled in the Caspar, mainly the Juanaceros from the
03:01Spanish province of Extremadura, near the border with Portugal.
03:06Taking advantage of the strategic location of the site, they founded in 1627 the Republic
03:12of Búregreg, also called the Republic of Saleh, an autonomous city-state that thrived on maritime
03:19piracy.
03:20The Caspar thus became the headquarters for privateers and pirates who would sell their
03:26Christian prisoners nearby at the El Gazel market.
03:30Rabat, and its architecture, was enriched with Andalusian influences, still visible today
03:36in the layout of the alleys and the decorations of the houses.
04:09The Gujarat is a photo of the
